The BASH has become an annual Sunbeam family reunion with old and new TEAE members attending. Lately it’s become an endurance run for Sunbeamers with rain three out of four years.
But for the fourth year, Kerch and Joe McConlogue opened the TajMaGarage for fellowship, tech sessions and a mandatory rally. You WILL have fun or else! We all had fun!
The weather this year had been approaching 40 days and 40 nights, but five Beamers made it through high waters and a tree falling across the entrance to McConlogue’s driveway just before arrivals Saturday morning.
Thirty-four were in attendance this year. Everybody (just about) who signed up, showed up!
Carl Moon’s hot water heater went up the night before. Valerie Smyder was sick. And only on (nameless) person just didn’t show. Once you’ve been here, you know that the weather isn’t really much of a deterrent.
The third Blue Mountain Run was only a half-hour route, but it had had 60 questions. Plenty to watch out for so no one fell asleep. Wayne Pierzga and Bob Sharkey won first, Jim and Jennie Sauer were second, and Rick McCurdy and Tom Ehrhart third.
Tech sessions were held by TEAE Prez Joe Parlanti and Tiger Tom. Topics included latest LED lighting developments for Sunbeams, work lights, and tricks not in the service manuals for adjusting turn signal canceling mechanism to prevent breaking plastic arms, valve stem rocker arm clearance, and horn ring adjustment that helps prevent horn ring breakage and makes the horns work more reliability.
Long distance award, for people who drove a Sunbeam to the event, went to Della and Harry Elam in their Tiger equipped with “LEGEND car Series” race car tires made for 13″ wheels that just happen to be excellent rain tires. They needed them on their trip. The shortest distance goes to Joe McConlogue who moved his Alpine 356 feet from the TajMaGarage to make room for BASH attendees. Bob and Judy Sharkey, who go nowhere with their top up, had to relent and made their entire trip that way. Even Bill Gaw showed up with his MK II Tiger hardtop on. That’s how bad the rain was.